Caribbean power roundup

Puerto Rico governor Ricardo Rosselló Nevares signed the public energy policy law, which calls for the elimination of 20% of fossil fuels for power generation by 2022, then 40% by 2025, 60% by 2040 and 100% by 2050.

The law also pushes for the transfer of the operation and maintenance of transmission and distribution of energy to a concessionaire through a PPP, and the transfer of generation assets through sale or PPP.

In addition, the law strengthens the island's energy bureau (NEPR) and grants it greater operational autonomy.

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Dominican Republic state power transmission company Eted met with electricity distributor EdeEste to evaluate the possible expansion of the national transmission system in the eastern zone of the country through the construction of a transmission line and substation.

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The board of the Virgin Islands Water and Power Authority (WAPA) authorized the signing of an agreement with Wartsila Caribbean to oversee the operation of three new propane-fired units to generate a combined 21MW at the Randolph Harley power plant on St Thomas.

"With the commissioning and testing phase of the new generators nearing completion, and given that the use of reciprocating engines in WAPA's dispatch of electrical generation is relatively new, we determined the best viable solution is to enter into such agreement," WAPA executive director and CEO Lawrence J Kupfer said in a statement.

The cost of the 36-month agreement, which may be extended by 12 months, is US$7.9mn.